NORWAY, SWEDEN, AND DENMARK.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 40, 18 February 1915, Page 4

NORWAY, SWEDEN, AND DENMARK.

Scandinavia is somewhat in. the public eye just now in view of what lias been happening in the Baltic, and il is lherefore interesting: to recall how these

sturdy northern countries stand. Norway and Sweden were united in 1814 as two indepedent kingdoms under the same king. In 1864 the German-Dan-ish war broke out, and feeling ran high both in Sweden and Norway. It was desired to come to the assistance of Denmark, but at the last moment Sweden and Norway resolved, for various reasons, to stand aside. It was stated that Bismarck had an agreement with Russia that if Norway and Sweden came to help Denmark Russia was to invade North Norway. The war ended with the loss of Schleswig-Holstein to Germany. The inhabitants of Holstein and South Schleswig-Holstein wer« Germans, while the inhabitants of North Schleswig were and are Danish. The Prage treaty offered the Danes of North Schleswig a plebiscite so that they might choose to which country they would belong. This treaty was •never carried out. The idea of a union of the three countries so nearly related in race and language has been brought forward at different times of the nations' history. It was once a reality, when the Danish Queen Margarcta the Great ruled over the three kingdoms. But with her death Sweden broke from the union. Norway and Denmark continued to be united for four hundred years, till Norway in 1814 was united with Sweden. But the lesson of these unions has for the smallest nation, Norway, not been

good. When united with Denmark, Norway always was made to pay for her successful wars; and great Norwegian provinces were for ever lost to Sweden. The. Norwegian union with Sweden was not more successful. On account of the geographical and historic positions of the three countries each has her own interests and sympathies in regard to foreign lands. To Sweden, of course, the danger of Russia has been the nearest, and her sympathies turned to Germany; while the German danger was nearest to Denmark. Norway, with her long sea coast opposite to the greatest maritime Power of .the world, and with her great shipping trade, entertained always most friendly relations with England —a friendship which is alike based on natural sympathy as on interest and tradition. j